The use of an assistive switch has proven to be extremely helpful for children with disabilities at all ages and grade levels. For students who require the use of assistive switches, when the appropriate switches are chosen for them, it opens up a number of possibilities and abilities that they might not otherwise have had. With these switches, students can turn things on or off, move themselves and other things around, play video games, and communicate with others. For individuals who do not require the use of assistive technologies to perform daily, educational, or what are considered regular tasks, they will be less likely to understand the effectiveness of AT use. However, these switches aid in simply making life easier for those he need them.
The Assistive Technology/ How the Technology Works.
As I stated in the introduction, the assistive technology that I chose to research are switches. The use of "switches offer access to anything electronic for persons with disabilities" (Overview & Purpose). The single motion required to manipulate a switch, results in a number of reliable uses. The given basic information article highlights switch usage for environmental control, play and exploration, movement, computer access, and communication. The single push of a button cancels out the "need for more complex directions" (Overview & Purpose) that would prove to be too much or even impossible for children with certain impairments. There are a variety of designs for switches such as: "large button and small button" (Glenda's Assistive Technology). Also, depending on a child's disability, there are a few simple maneuvers that a child can use to control a switch. These include but are not limited to: the "sip/puff, foot switches, face movement and even movement sensor switches" (Glenda's Assistive Technology). .
In an article titled, "Let the Switch do the Talking," the author gives information about what are called "talking switches".